WoWClassicUI

Your Classic UI, Upgraded.

Author: Thalric Buttonforge

  • Burning Crusade Anniversary Phase 3 is live: Black Temple, Hyjal, Netherwing, and Epic gems

    Burning Crusade Anniversary Phase 3 is live: Black Temple, Hyjal, Netherwing, and Epic gems

    Burning Crusade Anniversary Phase 3 is live: Black Temple, Hyjal Summit, Netherwing, and Epic gems

    Burning Crusade Anniversary realms have moved into Phase 3, bringing two iconic raids and a round of endgame unlocks. Both Blizzard Watch and Wowhead confirm that Black Temple and Hyjal Summit are open now, Netherwing daily quests are available, Epic gems are obtainable, and Arena Season 3 is next on the calendar.

    • Black Temple: Face Illidan Stormrage and earn Ashtongue Deathsworn reputation. Vendors are inside the raid, and bosses can drop Epic gems (per Blizzard Watch).
    • Hyjal Summit (Battle for Mount Hyjal): Progress Scale of the Sands reputation, access its vendor, and mine Epic gems within the instance (via Blizzard Watch).
    • Netherwing: Daily quests on Netherwing Ledge lead to Exalted and Netherdrake mounts; you’ll need a flying mount or form to get started (per Blizzard Watch).
    • Epic gems: Available from the new raids, with Hyjal offering mining nodes and Black Temple bosses also dropping them (via Blizzard Watch).
    • Arena: Season 3 begins September 1 after weekly maintenance (as outlined by Blizzard Watch and Wowhead’s Phase 3 compendium).

    If you’re heading straight into progression, note the attunements. For Black Temple, Blizzard Watch highlights that the chain starts with The Tablets of Baa’ri, which you pick up from your chosen Shattrath faction (Aldor or Scryers). You can see that quest on Wowhead here: The Tablets of Baa’ri. Hyjal Summit requires The Vials of Eternity line from Soridormi in the Caverns of Time. Wowhead also notes that Black Temple attunement includes defeating Hyjal’s first boss, Rage Winterchill, as part of the process (Phase 3 compendium).

    Hyjal and Black Temple each grant reputation as you clear them, with vendors inside the instances: Scale of the Sands in Hyjal and Ashtongue Deathsworn in Black Temple. Both raids are also sources of Epic gems, and Hyjal specifically includes mineable Epic gem nodes (all via Blizzard Watch).

    Arena timeline and gear notes: Arena Season 3 starts September 1 after weekly maintenance. Blizzard Watch adds that Season 2 ended on August 18, with remaining Arena points converting to Honor at a 1:10 rate. Season 2 Arena gear moves to discounted vendors in Area 52, and Season 1 sets are available from Honor vendors in Orgrimmar and Stormwind.

    If you want boss-by-boss prep, Wowhead’s announcement collects strategy links for every encounter in both raids, and their Phase 3 compendium gathers key timelines, loot highlights, and class gearing updates. Useful starting points: the Black Temple & Hyjal now live post and the fuller Phase 3 compendium.

    On the UI side, this is a good week-one routine: double-check your boss timers and threat readouts, bind a reliable focus interrupt, and tidy your raid frames for Hyjal’s add waves. Nothing fancy—just the basics that keep a first night smooth.

    Good luck in Black Temple and Hyjal. We’ll keep an eye on addon quality-of-life updates as the phase settles in.

  • Burning Crusade Classic Phase 3 PTR: Black Temple and Hyjal Testing Aug 14–17

    Burning Crusade Classic Phase 3 PTR: Black Temple and Hyjal Testing Aug 14–17

    Blizzard has opened the Burning Crusade Classic Phase 3 PTR, with Black Temple and The Battle for Mount Hyjal scheduled for raid testing from August 14 through August 17. If you’ve been waiting to shake down your raid UI in Illidan and Archimonde’s houses, this is your weekend. Details come from Blizzard’s Phase 3 PTR development notes, with additional coverage on Wowhead’s update.

    Phase 3 itself is planned to go live on August 27 at 3:00 p.m. PDT / 6:00 p.m. EDT, per Blizzard’s notes linked above.

    What’s included in Phase 3 (per Blizzard)

    According to the PTR development notes, Phase 3 brings:

    • New raids: Black Temple (Illidan) and The Battle for Mount Hyjal (Archimonde).
    • New daily faction and quest hub: The Netherwing in Shadowmoon Valley.
    • Arena Season 3, with new rewards and updated progression.
    • Epic gems.

    Raid testing schedule

    Blizzard plans to enable PTR raid testing at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, August 14, with testing concluding at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, August 17. These windows and the participating raids (Black Temple and Mount Hyjal) are reiterated in Wowhead’s post and the Blizzard raid-testing note.

    Note: Blizzard’s raid-testing times above were posted without a timezone. The Phase 3 launch time was specified as 3:00 p.m. PDT / 6:00 p.m. EDT in the same forum thread.

    For this raid test, Blizzard is also trying out Haste and Destruction potions that can be obtained with Marks of Illidari from Phase 3 raids, alongside the usual flask redemptions. That detail comes directly from the raid-testing update.

    Quick UI prep if you’re hopping onto PTR

    This is a good window to sanity-check your raid setup in Outland-scale encounters. Keep it simple: make sure your boss mods are enabled, your raid frames show the debuffs you actually care about, your cooldown tracking is readable, and your logging/benchmark tools are toggled on. If you’re planning to play with the potion redemptions, consider surfacing your Marks of Illidari count somewhere visible so you don’t have to dig for it between pulls.

    If Blizzard posts further changes to test or adjusts the schedule, we’ll update this note. For now, the authoritative details are in the Phase 3 PTR development notes.

  • D&D: World of Warcraft tabletop expansion launches November 17 with early access on November 3

    D&D: World of Warcraft tabletop expansion launches November 17 with early access on November 3

    D&D: World of Warcraft launches November 17 — tabletop Azeroth returns with Classic-era dungeons and an Icecrown adventure

    Blizzard has announced a new tabletop crossover, D&D: World of Warcraft, arriving November 17 with early access on November 3. The reveal and dates are covered in Blizzard’s forum announcement thread and roundup coverage (Blue Tracker; Wowhead). Blizzard Watch refers to the book as the “Dungeons & Dragons World of Warcraft Gameplay Expansion,” while Wowhead and Blizzard’s post call it “D&D: World of Warcraft.”

    What’s inside is meant to let you run full Warcraft campaigns at your table. Both Blizzard Watch and Wowhead report support for sixteen playable species and all thirteen WoW classes, with Warcraft-flavored subclass options layered on top of familiar D&D class foundations. The scope spans iconic locations and villains from across the franchise, and Blizzard Watch notes a mix of Classic-era dungeons plus an optional Icecrown Citadel adventure if you want to jump straight into a curated run.

    Blizzard Watch describes the main book as a 256-page sourcebook that bundles character options, monsters, items, and DM guidance into one volume, with “dozens” of spells and magic items and a large bestiary. It also calls out seven detailed dungeons (mostly from Classic) and an Icecrown Citadel Adventure Map Pack with maps and tokens available separately. Wowhead’s announcement similarly highlights the breadth of playable options and content, with counts listed in the “50+ to 60+” range for monsters, spells, and items.

    Note: The pre-purchase bonuses mentioned by Blizzard and Wowhead — a Black Dragon mount, Gazer pet, Mimic Chest toy, and Mimic Chest decor — are for retail World of Warcraft, not Classic. Wowhead also notes these digital bonuses are included with the digital base, Ultimate Bundle, or Collector’s Edition, and do not appear to come with the base physical book.

    • Release: November 17, with early access starting November 3 (per Blue Tracker and Wowhead).
    • Content scope: 16 species and all 13 WoW classes, plus Warcraft-themed subclasses; campaigns can pull from across Azeroth’s history (per Blizzard Watch and Wowhead).
    • Classic tie-ins: Blizzard Watch cites seven dungeons “mostly from Classic,” plus a separate Icecrown Citadel adventure with maps and tokens.
    • Pre-order perks: Digital dice and character sheet backgrounds on D&D Beyond, a promo Murloc mini (limited), a mini-adventure, and a code for retail WoW items (per Blizzard Watch).

    Pricing varies a bit across reports. Blizzard Watch lists the main book at $59.99 USD physical or $39.99 digital, a physical+digital bundle at $79.99, the Icecrown Citadel Map Pack at $29.99 physical or $19.99 digital, an Ultimate Bundle at $124.99, and an Ultimate Collector’s Edition at $149.99. Wowhead summarizes editions ranging from $39.99 up to $144.99 for a top-end bundle.

    For Classic players, the appeal is straightforward: familiar dungeons and factions, a ruleset that mirrors your in-game class fantasy, and a ready-made Icecrown one-shot for a guild off-night. If you want to see the exact contents and current bundles before you commit, read Blizzard Watch’s hands-on overview and Wowhead’s announcement post — they’re tracking the details and preorder options as they stand today.

    Further reading: Blizzard Watch’s breakdown, Wowhead’s announcement, and Blizzard’s forum thread.

  • Stock Up on Arena Points While You Can — TBC Classic Arena Season 2 Ends August 17

    Stock Up on Arena Points While You Can — TBC Classic Arena Season 2 Ends August 17

    Blizzard has confirmed the end date for the Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary PvP Season 2: it wraps up at 10:00 p.m. PDT on Monday, August 17 (1:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, August 18). Season 3 begins with the weekly reset on Tuesday, September 1, when Season 2 rewards will also be distributed. You can read the announcement on the Blizzard forums via Blue Tracker: Season 2 Ends on August 17.

    That gives you a short runway to finish your games and bank any last Arena Points. Wowhead’s report also notes there will be a roughly two-week offseason before Season 3 and that Season 2 Arena gear will be heavily discounted during this break. Blizzard’s forum post does not include pricing details, so treat the discount note as reporting rather than an official pricing sheet.

    Dates at a glance

    • Season 2 ends: Monday, August 17 at 10:00 p.m. PDT (Tuesday, August 18 at 1:00 a.m. EDT) — per Blizzard.
    • Offseason: From Season 2 end until Season 3 begins.
    • Season 3 start and reward distribution: Tuesday, September 1 weekly reset — per Blizzard.

    If you’re still queuing, plan your remaining sessions around that final deadline. Even if you’re not pushing rating, a few clean play sessions can top off your points so you’re ready to spend when Season 3 lands (or during the reported discount window).

    Make your last lockouts count

    Keep it simple and reduce avoidable mistakes. Before your next queue:

    • Mark the end time on your calendar so you don’t miss your final session.
    • Double-check your keybinds for interrupts, trinket, and defensive cooldowns.
    • Lock down your frames and nameplates so nothing shifts mid-match.
    • Use focus targeting for clean CC and kicks; verify your focus keybind works.
    • Avoid major UI changes on your push night; test any addon updates in a skirmish first.

    Tip: Bank your Arena Points if you’re unsure what to buy. Rewards are handed out at Season 3 start, and—per Wowhead’s report—Season 2 items are expected to be discounted during the break. Waiting a week or two could stretch your points further.

    Good luck in your remaining games. Finish strong, keep the UI tidy, and spend smart when the offseason hits. For the official dates, see Blizzard’s post on the forums via Blue Tracker: Season 2 Ends on August 17. For additional context, including the reported discount window, see Wowhead’s coverage.

  • TBC Anniversary Phase 3 Confirmed: Black Temple & Hyjal Open August 27 at 3 pm PDT

    TBC Anniversary Phase 3 Confirmed: Black Temple & Hyjal Open August 27 at 3 pm PDT

    TBC Anniversary Phase 3 confirmed for August 27 — Black Temple and Hyjal unlock

    Blizzard has officially dated Phase 3 for The Burning Crusade Anniversary realms: a global launch on August 27 at 3:00 pm PDT (23:00 BST). This was confirmed by Wowhead’s announcement roundup and covered by Blizzard Watch, which also links to the official Blizzard news post. If you saw the earlier BlizzardCS Discord leak pointing to August 13, consider that superseded by the August 27 announcement.

    Phase 3 brings the two headline raids — Black Temple and The Battle for Mount Hyjal — along with the Netherwing daily quest hub in Shadowmoon Valley and the arrival of Epic Gems. Wowhead’s post notes the global timing and core features, while Blizzard Watch outlines the content and how to get in the door for each raid.

    Heads-up: Wowhead lists the global launch as August 27 at 3:00 pm PDT / 23:00 BST. Source: Wowhead.

    What opens in Phase 3

    Black Temple (Shadowmoon Valley, level 70) is the big ticket. Blizzard Watch calls out that you’ll need to complete the BT attunement that begins with “The Tablets of Baa’ri,” with the starting NPC depending on Aldor or Scryer alignment. Inside, you’ll earn Ashtongue Deathsworn reputation and access a vendor once you’ve progressed. Wowhead’s roundup also reiterates the boss roster all the way through Illidan Stormrage.

    The Battle for Mount Hyjal is accessed via the Caverns of Time and requires completing “The Vials of Eternity” questline (per Blizzard Watch). Reputation here is Scale of the Sands with rewards from an in-raid vendor. Wowhead additionally notes you don’t need to be in a raid group just to enter the instance.

    Beyond raiding, the Netherwing daily hub opens on Netherwing Ledge in Shadowmoon Valley. You’ll need a flying mount to reliably reach it, and the grind culminates in the well-known Netherwing drakes at Exalted. Epic Gems also become available through Phase 3 content, expanding your gearing options. These elements are highlighted across Wowhead’s announcement and Blizzard Watch’s overview.

    Arena players should note Blizzard Watch’s timing: Arena Season 2 ends on August 18 with Arena points converting to Honor at 1:10, and Arena Season 3 begins September 1 after maintenance. If you plan to PvP between raid nights, set expectations around those dates.

    Quick UI prep for Illidan, Hyjal waves, and Netherwing dailies

    Most of Phase 3 success is logistics. A few small UI tweaks will smooth your first weeks:

    • Update your boss mods and raid frames ahead of raid night; Hyjal in particular rewards clean nameplates for add waves and reliable interrupt/taunt tracking.
    • Track attunement steps: show quest objectives for “The Tablets of Baa’ri” (BT) and “The Vials of Eternity” (Hyjal) so you don’t burn time mid-week. Blizzard Watch’s write-up covers both requirements.
    • Pin your reputation bars for Ashtongue Deathsworn and Scale of the Sands so you can watch vendor unlocks without digging through the reputation pane.
    • Prep a daily route for Netherwing: bind a clean mount macro, keep your bag space clear for egg finds, and consider a simple timer or checklist for the hub’s repeatables.
    • Gems and sockets: leave room to re-socket BiS pieces; double-check your UI shows socket bonuses and gem stats accurately once Epic Gems enter the pool.

    Tip: Hyjal’s trash comes in scripted waves. If your UI supports it, show cast bars and debuffs prominently on incoming adds and prioritize clear audio cues for fears, knockbacks, and interrupts.

    We’ll keep an eye on any further blue-post adjustments, but the date now looks locked: August 27 at 3:00 pm PDT. If you’ve been banking consumables and polishing your keybinds, you’re right on schedule.

  • Blizzard Restores Hardcore Characters Lost During July 21 DDoS

    Blizzard Restores Hardcore Characters Lost During July 21 DDoS

    Blizzard has confirmed that restorations are complete for Classic Hardcore characters lost during the July 21 DDoS incident that affected three North American Hardcore realms. In the official forum post, Blizzard states that characters who died during the DDoS timeframe and who remained on their Hardcore realm should now be playable again.

    What Blizzard confirmed: Restorations cover Hardcore deaths that occurred during the July 21 DDoS window on three NA Hardcore realms, provided the characters stayed on their Hardcore realm. Blizzard says these restorations are complete.

    If you believe your character meets those conditions, the guidance is simple: try logging into that Hardcore realm on the character. The announcement does not list any extra steps or ticket process. If Blizzard adds more detail, we’ll update this post.

    For a quick recap alongside the blue post, see Wowhead’s brief coverage: Hardcore characters lost to the July 21 DDoS have been restored.

    The forum note only addresses characters lost during the DDoS window who remained on their Hardcore realm. It doesn’t speak to other scenarios.

  • Blizzard Confirms No Official Fresh Season of Discovery Realms

    Blizzard Confirms No Official Fresh Season of Discovery Realms

    Blizzard confirms no official Fresh Season of Discovery realms

    WoW Classic developer Josh “Aggrend” Greenfield has confirmed there will not be an official Fresh Season of Discovery server. The clarification came in response to community questions on X, following speculation around a new Season of Discovery build and Patch 1.15.9. You can read Wowhead’s report on the confirmation and context around the recent build here: Blizzard confirms there will not be an official Fresh Season of Discovery. Greenfield’s post is public on X: @AggrendWoW.

    The message was direct: “There will be no fresh SoD.” He also explained that spinning up a new realm is not a trivial switch—multiple teams are involved, and each phase requires ongoing management—so the team isn’t diverting resources to that right now. This mirrors coverage from Warcraft Tavern and the MMO-Champion forums, which cited the same statement.

    Note: As Wowhead points out, we still don’t know exactly what Patch 1.15.9 contains. The only firm takeaway here is that Blizzard is not launching official Fresh Season of Discovery realms.

    What this means for players

    If you were waiting to level on a brand-new official SoD realm, don’t hold out—the developer explicitly advised against sitting on the sidelines for a hypothetical fresh start. If you want that day-one feeling, community-run “Fresh” events are active on both EU and NA realms; Wowhead lists current options in their write-up linked above. Otherwise, your best move is to jump into the current SoD revival, find an active guild, and play the season that exists today.

  • Challenge Mode Season 3 Rewards – MoP Classic (Costs and Quick Picks)

    Challenge Mode Season 3 Rewards – MoP Classic (Costs and Quick Picks)

    Challenge Mode Season 3 rewards at a glance

    Mists of Pandaria Classic’s Challenge Mode Season 3 comes with a tidy set of cosmetics you can buy using Platinum Coins. The current reward list and prices below are drawn from Wowhead’s Season 3 reward rundown.

    • Reins of the Juvenile Frostwyrm — 300 Platinum Coins
    • Stormcrow — 300 Platinum Coins
    • Spectral Wind Rider — 150 Platinum Coins
    • Carved Ogre Idol (Toy; transforms you into an Ogre for 10 minutes, 10-minute cooldown) — 50 Platinum Coins

    If you’re planning to pick up everything, budget for 800 Platinum Coins total. On a smaller spend, the Spectral Wind Rider is the cheapest mount at 150 Coins, and the Carved Ogre Idol is a low-cost extra at 50.

    Note: Blizzard’s June 23 MoP Classic hotfix notes say the Season 3 “Challenge Conqueror: Platinum” achievement is now correctly earnable. “Realm First! Challenge Conqueror: Platinum (Season 3)” is disabled in North America while they grant the achievement to the correct winners.

    That’s the shopping list. If you want a closer look at each model and screenshots, check the linked Wowhead post above.

  • TBC Anniversary Phase 3 PTR Is Live — Service Systems Only

    TBC Anniversary Phase 3 PTR Is Live — Service Systems Only

    TBC Anniversary Phase 3 PTR Is Live — Service Systems Only

    Blizzard has opened the Burning Crusade Classic 2.5.6 Public Test Realm for the Anniversary Phase 3, with the scope limited to service systems. In the official forum note, Blizzard states there are no gameplay-impacting changes in this build and specifically asks addon authors to jump in and make sure their work still behaves as expected (Blue Tracker post).

    Wowhead’s coverage echoes this and clarifies that you should not expect things like new raid access, new gear, or consumables in this round of testing (Wowhead: TBC Anniversary Phase 3 PTR).

    Note: This PTR is about underlying service systems. Blizzard did not list gameplay features for testing, so players looking for new content won’t find any here (yet).

    Why this matters for addon authors

    When Blizzard calls out service-system updates, it’s a nudge for UI developers to sanity-check load paths, SavedVariables interactions, and any code that leans on client-provided services. Blizzard hasn’t detailed which pieces changed, so the safest path is to run your addon on the PTR and look for early errors or odd behavior before these updates roll to live.

    A quick testing pass you can do today

    • Log into the PTR with only your addon enabled first, then add dependencies and commonly co-installed addons to spot conflicts.
    • Watch for load-time Lua errors and taint warnings; exercise core features (frames opening, chat hooks, tooltips, slash commands).
    • Confirm SavedVariables read/write cleanly across sessions; check for unexpected resets or nil data.
    • Test basic flows that touch UI panels (Character, Spellbook, Talent, Auction, Mail) your addon interacts with.
    • Keep a clean WTF/Interface copy for PTR so you can reproduce issues without live-realm noise.

    If you maintain a public addon, this is also a good moment to add a PTR branch or tag, note findings in your changelog, and invite users to try that build.

    We’ll keep an eye on Blizzard’s thread and update if testing scope changes. For now, treat this as a compatibility sweep: quick to run, valuable to finish. You can follow the official PTR note here: The Burning Crusade Classic 2.5.6 PTR (Blue Tracker).

  • Tend Azeroth’s Fires During the Midsummer Fire Festival in Mists of Pandaria Classic

    Tend Azeroth’s Fires During the Midsummer Fire Festival in Mists of Pandaria Classic

    Mists of Pandaria Classic’s Midsummer Fire Festival is live from June 21 through July 5. If you’ve been waiting to light bonfires, juggle torches, and square up with the Frost Lord, this is your two-week window to do it. Blizzard’s announcement confirms the dates, and the Classic coverage summarizes the usual activities and rewards for this year’s run in MoP Classic (Blue Tracker, Wowhead MoP Classic).

    What to do during the festival

    Head to any capital city to pick up the main quests and start gathering Burning Blossoms, the holiday currency you’ll use at festival merchants. Most activities are pick-up-and-play, so you can chip away at them between dungeons or raid nights. The official breakdown, echoed in Classic coverage, includes:

    • Holiday Boss — The Frost Lord Ahune: Queue via Group Finder to fight Ahune in the Slave Pens and loot a Satchel of Chilled Goods with event rewards.
    • Burning Blossoms — By Fire Be Blessed: Earn Blossoms from quests, then toss them into bonfires for the Fire Festival of Fury buff (+3% melee/spell crit for 1 hour).
    • Dance Around the Ribbon Pole: Grab a ribbon at a festival camp for a 10% experience bonus while you dance.
    • Steal the Flames: Sneak into opposing-faction bonfires to steal them and complete related objectives.
    • Fire Juggling: Talk to the Master Fire Juggler near your city’s bonfire for the daily torch-juggling challenge.
    • Fire in the Sky: Catch the grand finale on the last night of the event.

    MoP Classic rewards to target

    According to Wowhead’s MoP Classic coverage, Ahune can drop Epic Cloaks during the festival. You can also pick up the Captured Flame pet, and your achievements here count toward the Reins of the Violet Proto-Drake meta. If you’re building a collection, it’s a good time to park alts at cities and chip away at achievements while you gather Blossoms for vendor cosmetics and toys.

    Note: The dates for all Classic versions run June 21–July 5 per Blizzard’s announcement on the Blue Tracker.

    Also running in The Burning Crusade Anniversary

    If you’re splitting time across Classic branches, The Burning Crusade Anniversary version of the festival is live on the same dates. As summarized by Wowhead’s TBC article, Ahune there offers event Epics, the Scorched Stone pet, and Formula: Enchant Weapon – Deathfrost.

    Quick planning notes

    Pick up city quests first, then rotate through nearby fires while you queue for Ahune. Spend Burning Blossoms after you’ve secured your daily tasks, and refresh the Fire Festival of Fury buff from a bonfire before you head out. If you’re leveling an alt, park them at a camp and grab the ribbon pole experience bonus when you log in.

    If Blizzard shares additional MoP Classic–specific changes for this year’s festival, we’ll update this post with a link. For now, the activities and rewards above are the pieces confirmed in the Classic coverage and the announcement.